American Medicine Voices Support for AAFP Report on Physician-Led, Team-Based Care

LEAWOOD, Kan. — America’s top medical organizations have voiced their support for a new report saying the U.S. health care system can meet the nation’s demand for primary care by fully implementing the physician-led patient centered medical home. The report, “Primary Care for the 21st Century,” was released today by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the American Osteopathic Organization each issued statements of support for the report, which says health reform is moving rapidly toward team-based care and warns against substituting nurse practitioners for physicians as a stop-gap answer to the primary care physician shortage.
American Academy of Pediatrics
“The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that the optimal care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults is delivered within the patient-centered medical home model by a physician-led team comprised of appropriately documented and trained clinicians,” said AAP President Robert W. Block, MD, FAAP.
American Medical Association
“The AMA commends the AAFP for their outstanding work on this timely subject,” said Jeremy A. Lazarus, MD, president of the American Medical Association. “The AMA and AAFP recognize that the physician-led team approach to care is key to ensuring patients receive high quality, cost effective care, and most Americans agree. According to a recent AMA survey, 86 percent of respondents said that patients benefit when a physician leads the primary care team. Physicians and other health professionals have long worked together to meet patient needs for a reason — the physician-led team approach to care works. Patients win when each member of their health care team plays the role they are educated and trained to play. ”

American Osteopathic Association
“As the professional organization representing more than 100,000 DOs and osteopathic medical students, the American Osteopathic Association recognizes the important role of a team approach to health care for our patients,” said AOA Executive Director John B. Crosby, JD. "While there is an unarguable need for more primary care providers in this country, this report underscores our belief that a team led by a fully licensed physician — DO or MD — is the best way to ensure that patients receive the highest level of care.”

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Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 115,900 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.

Approximately one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is nearly 214 million office visits each year — nearly 74 million more than the next largest medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.

To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer website, www.FamilyDoctor.org(www.familydoctor.org).